1 My necessaries are embark'd: farewell:2 And, sister, as the winds give benefit3 And convoy is assistant, do not sleep,4 But let me hear from you.

OPHELIA

5 Do you doubt that?

LAERTES

6 For Hamlet and the trifling of his favour,7 Hold it a fashion and a toy in blood,8 A violet in the youth of primy nature,9 Forward, not permanent, sweet, not lasting,10 The perfume and suppliance of a minute; No more.

OPHELIA

11 No more but so?

LAERTES

12 Think it no more;13 For nature, crescent, does not grow alone14 In thews and bulk, but, as this temple waxes,15 The inward service of the mind and soul16 Grows wide withal. Perhaps he loves you now,17 And now no soil nor cautel doth besmirch18 The virtue of his will: but you must fear,19 His greatness weigh'd, his will is not his own;20 For he himself is subject to his birth:21 He may not, as unvalued persons do,22 Carve for himself; for on his choice depends23 The safety and health of this whole state;24 And therefore must his choice be circumscribed25 Unto the voice and yielding of that body26 Whereof he is the head. Then if he says he loves you,27 It fits your wisdom so far to believe it28 As he in his particular act and place29 May give his saying deed; which is no further30 Than the main voice of Denmark goes withal.31 Then weigh what loss your honour may sustain,32 If with too credent ear you list his songs,33 Or lose your heart, or your chaste treasure open34 To his unmaster'd importunity.35 Fear it, Ophelia, fear it, my dear sister,36 And keep you in the rear of your affection,37 Out of the shot and danger of desire.38 The chariest maid is prodigal enough,39 If she unmask her beauty to the moon:40 Virtue itself 'scapes not calumnious strokes:41 The canker galls the infants of the spring,42 Too oft before their buttons be disclosed,43 And in the morn and liquid dew of youth44 Contagious blastments are most imminent.45 Be wary then; best safety lies in fear:46 Youth to itself rebels, though none else near.

OPHELIA

47 I shall the effect of this good lesson keep,48 As watchman to my heart. But, good my brother,49 Do not, as some ungracious pastors do,50 Show me the steep and thorny way to heaven;51 Whiles, like a puff'd and reckless libertine,52 Himself the primrose path of dalliance treads,53 And recks not his own rede.

LAERTES

54 O, fear me not.55 I stay too long: but here my father comes.Enter POLONIUS56 A double blessing is a double grace,57 Occasion smiles upon a second leave.

LORD POLONIUS

58 Yet here, Laertes! aboard, aboard, for shame!59 The wind sits in the shoulder of your sail,60 And you are stay'd for. There; my blessing with thee!61 And these few precepts in thy memory62 See thou character. Give thy thoughts no tongue,63 Nor any unproportioned thought his act.64 Be thou familiar, but by no means vulgar.65 Those friends thou hast, and their adoption tried,66 Grapple them to thy soul with hoops of steel;67 But do not dull thy palm with entertainment68 Of each new-hatch'd, unfledged comrade. Beware69 Of entrance to a quarrel, but being in,70 Bear't that the opposed may beware of thee.71 Give every man thy ear, but few thy voice;72 Take each man's censure, but reserve thy judgment.73 Costly thy habit as thy purse can buy,74 But not express'd in fancy; rich, not gaudy;75 For the apparel oft proclaims the man,76 And they in France of the best rank and station77 Are of a most select and generous chief in that.78 Neither a borrower nor a lender be;79 For loan oft loses both itself and friend,80 And borrowing dulls the edge of husbandry.81 This above all: to thine ownself be true,82 And it must follow, as the night the day,83 Thou canst not then be false to any man.84 Farewell: my blessing season this in thee!

LAERTES

85 Most humbly do I take my leave, my lord.

LORD POLONIUS

86 The time invites you; go; your servants tend.

LAERTES

87 Farewell, Ophelia; and remember well88 What I have said to you.

OPHELIA

89 'Tis in my memory lock'd,90 And you yourself shall keep the key of it.

LAERTES

91 Farewell.

Exit

LORD POLONIUS

92 What is't, Ophelia, be hath said to you?

OPHELIA

93 So please you, something touching the Lord Hamlet.

LORD POLONIUS

94 Marry, well bethought:95 'Tis told me, he hath very oft of late96 Given private time to you; and you yourself97 Have of your audience been most free and bounteous:98 If it be so, as so 'tis put on me,99 And that in way of caution, I must tell you,100 You do not understand yourself so clearly101 As it behoves my daughter and your honour.102 What is between you? give me up the truth.

OPHELIA

103 He hath, my lord, of late made many tenders104 Of his affection to me.

LORD POLONIUS

105 Affection! pooh! you speak like a green girl,106 Unsifted in such perilous circumstance.107 Do you believe his tenders, as you call them?

OPHELIA

108 I do not know, my lord, what I should think.

LORD POLONIUS

109 Marry, I'll teach you: think yourself a baby;110 That you have ta'en these tenders for true pay,111 Which are not sterling. Tender yourself more dearly;112 Or--not to crack the wind of the poor phrase,113 Running it thus--you'll tender me a fool.

117 And hath given countenance to his speech, my lord,118 With almost all the holy vows of heaven.

LORD POLONIUS

119 Ay, springes to catch woodcocks. I do know,120 When the blood burns, how prodigal the soul121 Lends the tongue vows: these blazes, daughter,122 Giving more light than heat, extinct in both,123 Even in their promise, as it is a-making,124 You must not take for fire. From this time125 Be somewhat scanter of your maiden presence;126 Set your entreatments at a higher rate127 Than a command to parley. For Lord Hamlet,128 Believe so much in him, that he is young129 And with a larger tether may he walk130 Than may be given you: in few, Ophelia,131 Do not believe his vows; for they are brokers,132 Not of that dye which their investments show,133 But mere implorators of unholy suits,134 Breathing like sanctified and pious bawds,135 The better to beguile. This is for all:136 I would not, in plain terms, from this time forth,137 Have you so slander any moment leisure,138 As to give words or talk with the Lord Hamlet.139 Look to't, I charge you: come your ways.